10 Recent Games That Were Completely Overrated by Critics

As you may have noticed as you’ve perused the internet, not everyone agrees on everything. The world’s a big place, filled with people who have a variety of opinions on games, movies, TV shows, books, food, cars, you name it. This means that sometimes critics and consumers will disagree on how good something is. Whether a game is too short, too long, too buggy, or too childish is often in the eye of the beholder.

Here’s a selection of recent games many critics enjoyed for one reason or other, but gamers didn’t find to be quite so hot. We picked the games based on the difference between their official Metacritic score and their User Score. Here are games critics and players didn’t see eye to eye.

1. Mirror’s Edge Catalyst

The original Mirror’s Edge was a first-person parkour-style game that became a cult hit when it launched in 2008. This sequel does away with the often cramped level designs of the original in favor of an open world in which you can go where you want, taking on missions at your leisure.

Critics didn’t exactly fawn over the game, but they liked it enough to give it an average score of 74 out of 100. Regular players were much more harsh, criticizing everything from the game’s lackluster narrative to the unsatisfying combat.

2. No Man’s Sky

Probably nothing could have lived up to the hype generated by No Man’s Sky, a game that promised to let you travel the universe, exploring more planets than you could count and discovering all kinds of alien lifeforms.

The game certainly didn’t live up to the hype, but it inspired relatively positive critic reviews, when taken altogether. For many of the hopeful masses, on the other hand, their disappointment felt personal, thanks to shallow gameplay mechanics and a never-ending treadmill of grinding for resources.

3. Abzu

If Abzu reminds you of the PlayStation exclusive game Journey, that’s no coincidence. That’s because that game’s lead artist, Matt Nava, started the studio that made Abzu. So what is Abzu? It’s a game of underwater exploration. You play as a diver who ventures into uncharted waters just to see what’s going on. You encounter all kinds of sea life, sunken ruins, forests of algae, and vast canyons. It’s strikingly beautiful, just like Journey, but it doesn’t bother with many gaming conventions, like challenge or an obvious narrative.

Many critics enjoyed Abzu’s peaceful, Zen-like qualities. Unlike critics, the majority of users found the whole thing pointless and way too short.

4. Hitman – Episode 3: Marrakesh

If you enjoy sneaking through fabulous locations and strangling bad guys from the shadows, Hitman has you covered. The third episode brings Agent 47 to Marrakesh, where you’re tasked with two main missions: killing a banker and killing an army general. Both targets are well guarded, so the goal is to figure out how to get in and do the job without being spotted.

Critics were on board with the game, but lots of vocal detractors derided the game for its episodic release schedule. Bad news for them: Square Enix is already planning two more “seasons” of the game, which will be divided up into episodes.

5. Batman: The Telltale Series – Episode 1

This game lets players in on Bruce Wayne’s dual life as a debonair billionaire and a crime-fighting vigilante. It focuses on the relationships Bruce and Batman have with the likes of Catwoman, Alfred, Vicky Vale, Harvey Dent, and the mafioso crime lord Carmine Falcone.

Many critics, including us, enjoyed the game quite a bit. Players weren’t as thrilled, thanks to bugs, frame rate issues, and the overuse of quick-time events.

6. Xeodrifter

There’s no doubt about it: Xeodrifter was inspired by Super Metroid. That’s not a bad thing on its own, since the “Metroidvania” genre is as popular as it’s ever been. This retro-style action platformer puts you in the shoes of a space explorer who can travel between four worlds, on which you can find items and abilities that open up new paths on the other worlds. The idea is to explore the areas and collect as much gear as you can, then bring your gear to the other worlds to see where it gets you.

Critics enjoyed Xeodrifter well enough, but users weren’t so appreciative of its so-called retro charms. Most of the complaints center around its lack of variety in terms of weapons, enemies, and bosses.

7. Song of the Deep

Song of the Deep brings players to an underwater environment filled with enemy creatures and ancient cities. While you’re there, you get to shoot at stuff from an adorable little submarine. It uses the tried-and-true “Metroidvania” style of game design, which means you’re always acquiring new abilities that let you venture further into the game world.

On the critical side of things, Song of the Deep did pretty well, but users had a more tepid reaction, citing poor performance and its inability to live up to other games in the genre.

8. Kerbal Space Program

In Kerbal Space Program, you design your own rockets to shoot into outer space. Some games might give you shortcuts to make the process easier, but not this one. You find new challenges at every step of the process: when you’re designing the rocket, preparing the staging area, and controlling it as it shoots into the air. It’s extremely tough, but when you succeed it can be oh so satisfying.

At least that’s what critics liked about it. Many users weren’t quite so taken with the idea, calling it dull and buggy. You can’t please everyone.

9. Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE

As predicted, it’s been a disappointing year for Wii U owners, as Nintendo has wound down its Wii U game production so its teams can work on games for the NX. One of the potentially bright spots was Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, a game that takes place in modern-day Tokyo and centers around an aspiring J-pop star, who summons Fire Emblem characters to fend off inter-dimensional demons who have invaded the city.

Critics were pleasantly surprised by the rather bizarre game, but many Wii U owners weren’t having any of it. They cite censorship and the grinding nature of the game as reasons to stay away.

10. Dead Island: Definitive Collection

This HD remastered collection includes Dead Island, Dead Island: Riptide, and all the DLC ever released for both games. It also packs a new endless running game called Dead Island Retro Revenge that turned out to be pretty boring. But the first two games are the meat of the package, and they’re basically action-RPGs that have you hacking your way through hordes of the undead. Along the way, you find tons of loot, upgrades, and weapons you can equip, along with experience points to help you fill out your skill tree.

Most critics found it to be a decent collection, but users were upset that it only contained a download code for Riptide, while offering little incentive to play through the games again.